The Truth in Waiting
by KimTomPW
Summary: When the Doctor meets Jethro Cane, he knows there is something special about him. Who is Jethro really? And what can the Doctor do to help him?
1. Chapter 1

_The Truth in Waiting_

By: KimTomPW

Disclaimer: I do not own the Merlin or Doctor Who series.

Prelude

Jethro Cane had been living on his own for a few years now. Having turned eighteen a couple of years back, he was of age and decided to move away from his constantly bickering parents. Things were never the same after what had happened on Midnight. And he would never forget the man who had called himself The Doctor. He also would not forget the conversation they had after returning to the Leisure Palace.

"Take me with you, Doctor," Jethro had begged the Doctor.

The Doctor nervously scratched his head, leaving his hair more untidy than it had been to begin with.

"I already have a traveling companion," he explained.

The companion in question, Donna Noble, was actually walking their way as they spoke.

"Please, take me away from all this," Jethro said.

He voice was so desperate. There was something about this boy that the Doctor could not put his finger on. It was like he knew Jethro, but he did not know from where.

"Is that why you act out the way you do with all the black?" the Doctor asked.

Jethro looked down at his all black attire. Even his nails.

"I guess you can say that," he replied.

He did not know himself why he dressed like that. Rebellious teenage faze perhaps?

"I might not be able to take you with me right now. But I'll tell you something, Jethro Cane. We'll meet again," the Doctor said.

That had been almost five years ago. Jethro wondered when he would see him again. That mad man in a blue box. He had just gotten out of the shower when he had heard the strange noise coming from his living room. It was a wusing sound that Jethro could not quite remember.

"Who the bloody hell…" Jethro cursed as he walked into the living area with only his towel wrapped around his small waist.

And there he was, leaning up against the blue police box. That stick of a man in a suite and trench coat. The Doctor.

"Expecting someone else?' he asked, eyeing Jethro's towel.

"Doctor," Jethro gasped.

"How long has it been for you?" he asked.

"Nearly five years," Jethro told him.

The Doctor looked at Jethro in shocked.

"Five years. Sorry," he apologized. "Wasn't sure how long it'd be."

Jethro then realized he was still half naked.

"I'll be back," he said, taking off towards his bedroom to change. When Jethro returned, he was dressed in a blue shirt and red scarf paired with dark trousers. The Doctor stared at him for a moment. "What?"

He looked down, thinking he had forgotten to put something on.

"Nothing," the Doctor replied. "You've just changed. No more wearing black I see."

"I grew up," Jethro said.

He had been a teen when he wore all that Goth clothing. The Doctor then gave him a heartbreaking look.

"Oh, Jethro. You might have waited for me for five years, but you have been waiting for someone else for far longer," he told Jethro.

Now the Doctor understood why he was so interested in this boy. There had been something off about him when they first met. Like Jethro was not who he said he was. But now the Doctor knew exactly who Jethro Cane truly was. Of course he did not want to believe it at first. After all, he had thought it was a myth and that there was no truth behind the story of Camelot.

"What are you on about?" Jethro asked, filling absolutely confused.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But you're not really Jethro Cane," the Doctor said.

"Pardon?" Jethro asked.

"Why did you change your style?" the Doctor questioned him.

"Because I… I don't know," Jethro admitted. "Everyone changes their look. All the time."

Then, feeling like something heavy was on his chest, Jethro fell to the couch. "What's wrong with me?"

The Doctor joined him on the couch.

"Absolutely nothing. Well, almost nothing. Well, apart from the fact that you appear to have scrubbed your memory clean," he explained.

"How is it possible?" Jethro asked.

"You're the greatest wizard that ever lived. I was hoping you could tell me" the Doctor replied with a laugh.

"Why would I do that?" Jethro asked, sounding not at all surprised that the Doctor had just told him he was greatest wizard to ever live.

"Because the truth and waiting was too much to take. Forgetting was easier," the Doctor told him.

"Are you going to tell me who I am or not?" Jethro asked.

The Doctor nodded and got up.

"Come with me," he said, making way to the TARDIS.

"In there?" Jethro asked.

"You wanted to the last time," the Doctor reminded him with an amused look on his face.

"Right," Jethro replied, taking a deep breath.

Jethro followed the Doctor into the TARDIS. He looked around in amazement. He had seen nothing like it before.

"Well, what do you think?" the Doctor asked, crossing his arms and leaning up against the consol.

"It… it's smaller from the outside," Jethro said.

The Doctor frowned a bit.

"Not the exact phrase I was looking for," he replied.

He have Jethro a little longer to look around. Finally, Jethro walked up to him.

"So, if I'm not Jethro Cane, who am I?" he asked.

"You have many names," the Doctor told him. "You're called Emrys by some. But mostly people call you Merlin."

"Merlin. You mean from King Arthur?" he asked.

There was just no way that that could be true. Then again, he was in what looked like an old time Police Call Box with a man who could travel in time and space.

"Place your hand there," the Doctor told Merlin, indicating a circular object. As he did, all his memories started coming back. Merlin's eyes glowed for a moment after lifting his hand. The Doctor gave Merlin a few moments to take everything in. "You want to see Arthur again, don't you?

"More than anything," Merlin replied.

The Doctor nodded and led Merlin back out into the living room.

"I must warn you, though. He might not be the same," he told Merlin.

"That's it?" Merlin asked. "You're leaving me here with my memory back just so I could continue to sit and wait for something who may or may not even return?"

"Oh, Arthur will come back to you," the Doctor said.

And with that, he left.

"Well, that's just great," Merlin muttered.

He quickly turned when there was a knock at the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do own the Merlin or Doctor series.

The Return

Merlin opened the door. If his mouth could reach the floor, it would have.

"Hello, I read you had a room for let," the man in front of him said.

Merlin could not believe his eyes. It was Arthur, but it was not. His hair was a bit darker and maybe a couple of years older than he had been when he died.

"I what?" he asked. The person that looked so much like Arthur handed him the ad that he had been holding. "So I did."

However, Merlin did not remember advertising for a lodger.

"Do you mind if I have a look around?" the look alike Arthur asked.

Merlin had to shake his thoughts away. He wanted to take Arthur in his arms, but this Arthur did not know him yet.

"Not at all," Merlin said, letting Arthur in.

"I'm Ben by the way," he replied, extending his hand for Merlin to shake it.

Merlin's heart sank. Not only did Arthur not remember who he was, but he had different name as well.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jethro," Merlin said, taking Arthur's hand.

This was the Doctor's doing. Merlin just could not figure out how he had done it.

xxx

Ben was soon moved in.

"So, you needed some extra money?" he had asked Merlin one day.

Merlin thought for a moment. He would be accepting money from Arthur. It was all very strange.

"It doesn't hurt. What about you?" Merlin asked.

"I had to get out of my sister's place. Well, half-sister," Ben said.

Merlin would be lying if he had said he was not shocked to hear this. It had not occurred to him that others might be make as well.

"What?" Merlin asked, noticing the look Arthur was giving him.

"There's something about you, Jethro. I can't quite put my finger on it," Ben said.

That had been the exact thing Arthur had told him after they had fought for the second time when they first met.

"Yeah, I can say the same," Merlin said.

It was hard for Merlin to act like he did not know Arthur, or as he was calling himself, Ben. If only he could remember.

xxx

It was now a couple of months later, and the pair had become more comfortable around each other. Merlin and Arthur sat on the couch as Arthur placed the pizza box on the coffee table.

"Pizza, booze, and crap telly," Arthur said.

"What have I created?" Merlin asked as he laughed. A couple of hours and a few beers later, Merlin was surprised when Arthur yawned and placed his head on his shoulder. Arthur began to breathe heavily. He had fallen asleep. "You'll remember. You have to."

He carefully got up to go to the kitchen. That's when he heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS.

"Hello there," the Doctor said as he stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Doctor," Merlin replied.

"Jethro… or should I say Merlin," the Doctor said.

Merlin looked to see that Arthur was still asleep.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Just thought I'd pop in for a visit to see how you were doing," the Doctor told him.

Merlin took notice that the Doctor was not looking so good himself.

"Good. Very good actually," he replied. "Better than you by the looks of it."

The Doctor did not offer any reasoning for his look.

"Could it have anything to do with the man on the refrigerator?" he asked as if the comment had not even been made.

"That's Arthur," Merlin said.

The Doctor took notice of the sad tone in Merlin's voice.

"He doesn't remember anything, does he?" he asked.

Merlin shook his head.

"No. He calls himself Ben," he said.

"You have to take the good with the bad right now," the Doctor told him.

"I didn't want to lie to him anymore," Merlin said.

It shocked him as the words came out. He had lied to Arthur for so long about his magic in Camelot, he had not realized how much he wanted Arthur to know wholly.

"I know. You won't have to for much longer," the Doctor said, and left.

xxx

Merlin had left Arthur sleeping on the couch, not wanting to wake him up. He stripped down to his boxers and fell to his bed. He had not been asleep for long when he felt a body joining him.

"Move over," the voice beside him said.

Merlin's eyes opened in shock. It was Arthur. Getting into his bed.

"You have your own bed," Merlin told him.

"Nightmare," mumbled Arthur.

Merlin rolled his eyes and finally moved over.

"How old are you? Five?" he asked.

"It felt real," Arthur said, sounding more awake than he had been before.

"Fine, since I'm now awake. Want to talk about it?" Merlin asked as he sat up.

Arthur turned, still lying down.

"I was a king I think," he said. "There was battle, and I died. Run through with a sword."

Merlin could not hold it in any longer. He had to tell Arthur the truth.

"You're remembering," Merlin told him.

"Remembering what?" Arthur asked.

"You're past life as King Arthur," Merlin said.

Arthur gave Merlin a look. Finally, he sat up as well.

"It was just a dream," Arthur said as if he had not been frightened a minute earlier. He then gave a small laugh. "And we've been drinking."

"Arthur…" Merlin began, he his mouth was covered my Arthur's hand.

"If I'm this King Arthur, who are you?" he asked.

Arthur lowered his hand.

"I'm Merlin," he said.

"Prove it," Arthur replied.

Merlin thought for a moment. There had to be a way to make Arthur remember.

"Ok," Merlin said, taking a breath. Merlin's lips met Arthur's. As they kissed, memories started coming back. Merlin looked at Arthur carefully when they parted. "Say something."

"I remember," Arthur replied.


End file.
